Improvement in whiffletrees



JOHN A. LANNERT, or cLEvELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHIFFLETREES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,371, dated September 26, 1871.

To all 'whom timely concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN A. LANNERT, of

Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State v of Ohio, have invented a certain new and Improved Whifietree, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specifica- Figure l is a top view of the whiffletree. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a transverse longitudinal section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the different views.`

This invention has for its object a device whereby traces Or tugs are hitched to the whiffletree, so that they can be unhitched or detached therefrom by those riding without alighting from the carriage for that purpose; hence, in the event the horse should run away, he can be immediately detached from the carriage, and thereby avoid accident to those riding. i

The following is a description of said device and its operation.

In the drawing, Fig. 1, A represents a metal shell or thimble, from the outer end of which projects a right-angled hook, B. In said end is pivoted a tongue, C, at the point a. The inner end of said tongue is provided with a shoulder, D, Fig. 3, to which is fitted one en d of the stop E, the upper end of which is fitted in the shell at the point b, the shell at that point being rounded out, `and in which the end of the stop is iitted, forming a circular joint. The stop is prevented from falling from the position shown in Fig. 3 by its lower end resting upon the shoulder of the tongue, and when in the position indicated by the dotted lines c it is prevented from falling from its position by its lower end resting upon' the lug H. By this means the stop is retained in its working position without being pivoted in the shell, and at the same time has a full freev dom of movement for the purpose presently shown. To the lower end ofthe stop is attached one end of a rod, F, around which is coiled a spring, G, as shown in said Fig. 3. His a guide and holding-stud for the stop E to slide upon and bear against.

The practical operation of the above-described device is as follows: One of which is secured to each end of the whiffletree by inserting the end thereof in the open end of the shell A, and of which they form the eXtreme ends. A cord is now attached to the eye J of each rod F, which is then carried up to within easy access of the driver. The position of the tongue O, as represented in Fig. 3, is such as when the trace is hitched thereto. It will be obvious, on examination of said iigure, that the Outer end of the tongue cannot be drawn back from its contact with the end of the hook, for the reason of the stop which is lodged in the shoulder of the inner end of the tongue, and against which it presses when the outer end is drawn upon in an outward direction.

In order to disengage the trace (supposed to be hitched thereto) the stop E is drawn back by pulling upon the rod F, thereby bringing the free end of the stop back from the end of the tongue, as indicated by the dotted lines c. This will allow the tongue to change its position to that indicated by the dotted line c, so that the trace can now be slipped off from the tongue, or, per contra, hitched thereto, as the case may be. This pulling back of the stop can be done by the driver, without leaving his seat, by means of the cord above referred to, so that in thev event the horse should run he can be immediately released from the whiflietree by the driver and thereby prevent serious accident to those in the carriage.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the shell or thimble A, hook B fast to and projecting from the shell, pivoted and notched tongue O, stop E, guide H, rod F, and spring Gr, constructed and arranged in the manner described.

Witnesses: JOHN A. LANNERT.

J. H. BURRIDGE, D. L. HUMPHREY. 

